Overview

First published in 1963, James A. Michener’s gripping chronicle of the social and political landscape of Afghanistan is more relevant now than ever. Combining fact with riveting adventure and intrigue, Michener follows a military man tasked, in the years after World War II, with a dangerous assignment: finding and returning a young American woman living in Afghanistan to her distraught family after she suddenly and mysteriously disappears. A timeless tale of love and emotional drama set against the backdrop of ...

More About
This Book

Overview

First published in 1963, James A. Michener’s gripping chronicle of the social and political landscape of Afghanistan is more relevant now than ever. Combining fact with riveting adventure and intrigue, Michener follows a military man tasked, in the years after World War II, with a dangerous assignment: finding and returning a young American woman living in Afghanistan to her distraught family after she suddenly and mysteriously disappears. A timeless tale of love and emotional drama set against the backdrop of one of the most important countries in the world today, Caravans captures the tension of the postwar period, the sweep of Afghanistan’s remarkable history, and the inescapable allure of the past.

Praise for Caravans

“Brilliant . . . an extraordinary novel . . . The old nomadic trails across the mountains spring into existence.”—The New York Times

“Romantic and adventurous . . . [Michener] has a wonderful empathy for the wild and free and an understanding of the reasons behind the kind of cruelty that goes with it.”—Newsday
“Michener has done for Afghanistan what . . . his first [book] did for the South Pacific.”—The New York Herald Tribune

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

“Brilliant . . . an extraordinary novel . . . The old nomadic trails across the mountains spring into existence.”—The New York Times

“Romantic and adventurous . . . [Michener] has a wonderful empathy for the wild and free and an understanding of the reasons behind the kind of cruelty that goes with it.”—Newsday
“Michener has done for Afghanistan what . . . his first [book] did for the South Pacific.”—The New York Herald Tribune

Related Subjects

Meet the Author

More by this Author

James A. Michener was one of the world’s most popular writers, the author of more than forty books of fiction and nonfiction, including the Pulitzer Prize–winning Tales of the South Pacific, the bestselling novels The Source, Hawaii, Alaska, Chesapeake, Centennial, Texas, Caribbean, and Caravans, and the memoir The World Is My Home. Michener served on the advisory council to NASA and the International Broadcast Board, which oversees the Voice of America. Among dozens of awards and honors, he received America’s highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 1977, and an award from the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities in 1983 for his commitment to art in America. Michener died in 1997 at the age of ninety.

Your Rating:

Your Recommendations:

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked,
or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to
Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original
and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you
and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not
violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help
ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer.
However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or
to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the
information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reminder:

- By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its
sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the
review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.

- Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly
those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com
also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.

Caravans by James A. Michener is an exhilarating and mysterious

Caravans by James A. Michener is an exhilarating and mysterious book. It dives right into the heart of the aftermath of World War II. It tells of the violence and of the struggle in everyday life. The culture of the Afghan people is woven into a story of Ellen, a young American girl living in Afghanistan. At first I thought this book was going to be all about the mystery behind Ellen&rsquo;s disappearance. You soon learn that it is so much more than that. Michener has a way of describing the culture and making references while fitting it into a story. I enjoyed reading this book because you learn about the culture and habits of someone on the other side of the world while reading a story that pulls you into the book. This book does a great job of explaining the effects of World War II. Michener&rsquo;s purpose was to tell of the accounts of the ordinary citizen of Afghanistan. I believe that Michener does a wonderful job in achieving this purpose. He has a way of getting the reader&rsquo;s attention with a mystery and then slips a piece of historical information right behind it. I would certainly recommend Caravans as a great historical mystery.

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted October 8, 2003

Beautiful details of a beautiful people.

I loved the book and it prepared me for my life living in western Pakistan. Every detail was true and it was wonderfull living among these colorful people. The political and tribal details were also very useful in corectly dealing with these people, in a manner useful to them and to my purposes.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

texasmermaid

Posted January 19, 2013

RIVITING. Outstanding in every way. Mystery, romance, history.

RIVITING. Outstanding in every way. Mystery, romance, history. I came across this book just before doing a tour in Afghanistan. It gave me the true insight into this country. Amazing!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted September 28, 2012

Read at all costs.

I find myself reading his books over and over his epics seem to bring something new at each reading.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

KABKAB

Posted March 26, 2012

Very good reading and enlightening

This is an excellent book for historical novel buffs. I have read many by James Michner. My favorites by him have been: Hawaii,Recessional, Chesapeak, Texas and Space. This brings you to awareness of life in Afghanistan.*****KABKAB

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

saxmanOH

Posted March 3, 2012

An "ok" read

This was a good story, but not up to some other Michener books I've read. Suggest you read "Chesapeake" instead!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Must Read

In view if our present involvement in Central Asia, this novel gives a historical overview of our inability to 'conquer' these rugged, independent people. I found myself thirsty in the desert, cold at night, feeling tired and dirty after treking the high mountian passes. Michener is outstanding in his ability to pull the reader INTO the story as it unfolds.Today, the caravan passes are still in dispute. What a shame! Moreover, time has passed parts of Central Asia,and Afghanistan in particular leaving the areas as they 'always were'

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted June 19, 2014

this is really good

this is really good

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted August 23, 2013

highly recommend

I found this book very interesting and enjoyed it greatly.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted May 31, 2013

Intriquing & Captivating

I've enjoyed James Michener books & this one didn't disappoint.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted November 30, 2012

Highly Recommended

A great read

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

GWGRAY

Posted July 5, 2010

Another example of Michener's ability to combine interesting history with fictional story line.

While considerably shorter in length than epic Michener novels of the past, the attention to historical and geographic detail wrapped around Michener's development of fictional characters and events is as good as any of his previous works. The story takes place in 1946, shortly after the end of WWII. Michener provides enlightenment into life, history and traditions in that country that have heightened my sensitivity about current life and traditions in that country in a way that only he can do. I recommend this book highly to readers who enjoy and appreciate Michener's mastery of the English language and his ability to bring life to history by wrapping it around a fictional story line.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted December 19, 2005

Again and Again

i first read this novel in the early seventies and fell in love with it. when i moved in the eighties i came across it, read it and fell in love with it again. i just finished reading it for the third time and realized i haven't fallen in love with it again -- i never stopped loving it. i gave it to my 20 year old son and his reaction - 'wow'. indeed.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted January 28, 2002

the more things change, the more they stay the same

I just read this book for the first time, saw it mentioned in a newspaper article. I enjoyed it more than I would have in 1963 because of the newspaper headlines today. I felt as if I knew the places mentioned in the book from hearing the names on the news reports. Anyone interested in the Afghan lifestyle will enjoy this book .

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted January 5, 2002

A must-read

In view of what is going on in Afghanistan right now, this timeless book is a must-read for anyone who tries to understand the complexity of the problems facing that country. And us, by the way....

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2001

Timely Reading on Afghanistan

I read CARAVANS about 20 years ago and thought it was timely and fascinating at that time. After the recent terroist attacks I re-read it. The story is set in 1946. At the end there are 'Readers Notes' telling of the changes in Afghanistan at the time this was published in 1963. Now we are back to 1946 and maybe much earlier. Gives an amazing insight into Afghanistan, the thinking and the geography.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted January 25, 2001

A 'must read' by Michener

I have read most all of James Michener's books. Caravans is one of his shortest but a fantastic read. So much that I have re-read it 5 times. I first read this book 25 years ago. You feel as if you are on the caravan with Ellen Jasper and in someways, you don't want to return. As usual, Michener causes you to feel the heat of the desert and smell the aroma of the camels. This would be a great weekend read.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted March 14, 2000

Get Swept Away

Easy reading for a Michener book. You'll think you're actually in Afghanistan. Characters are well developed and the story line is fast-paced. It was hard to put this book down. Definetely recommend to a friend.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.